Food Protection Trends - October 2008 - (Page 717)

TABLE 4. E. coli and total viable counts (TVC) of knives1 rinsed then sanitized in 82°C water on a beef floor — adapted from Eustace et al. 2007 (13) Station Halal cut Weasand tie Sticking Rinsing Scalping 1st leg 2nd leg Air knife 1 Air knife 2 Air knife 3 Air knife 4 Tongue drop Heads inspection Head boning Bung drop Evisceration Viscera inspection Fronts inspection Separate runners Neck trim Whizard knives Backs inspection Backs trim Totals and means 1 E. coli* 1 4 0 0 0 1 0 1 4 1 1 1 0 1 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 20/230 Mean log TVC/cm2 (SD) 1.49 (0.23) 2.77 (0.32) 2.34 (0.73) 1.91 (0.22) 1.56 (0.59) 1.64 (1.09) 1.72 (0.13) 2.33 (1.22) 3.44 (0.09) 2.31 (0.66) 2.21 (0.78) 3.85 (0.00) 3.85 (0.00) 3.48 (0.16) 2.35 (1.64) 1.35 (0.29) 1.48 (1.06) 1.77 (0.55) 1.54 (0.58) 1.70 (0.37) 1.90 (0.55) 1.95 (0.15) 1.14 (0.63) 2.18 (0.99) Blades swabbed with Whirlpak sponges; E. coli enumerated on E. coli/Coliform Petrifilm at 37°C for 2 days, TVCs on APC Petrifilm at 20–25°C for 3 days Number of knives testing positive for E. coli out of 10 knives sampled at each station acid quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) sanitizer at 48.9°C proved more effective than either neutral QAC or peroxyacetic acid sanitizers and almost as effective as a one-second dip in 82°C water. No assessment has been made of the effect of build-up of fat, blood and other organic materials in cleaning baths containing chemical sanitizers with specific reference to the likely need to change sanitizer at regular intervals. peratures cooler than 82°C by varying the period of immersion. Immersion at 72°C for 10 or 15 s resulted in 3 to 4 log reductions, and the authors concluded that a reduction equivalent to a momentary dip in 82°C water was possible if the knife was allowed to reside at a lower temperature for sufficient time. They further suggested that a two-knife system (already widely adopted in Australia) at a lower temperature might be a practical solution. It was against this background that rinsing in hand wash water coupled with a two-knife system and 60°C water was evaluated in an abattoir as an alternative procedure to the current system of rinsing and then momentary dipping of the knife in 82°C water. Under the alternative sys- * relating to Public Health (SCVPH) published its opinion on cleaning and disinfection of knives in response to a request from Dutch authorities, who proposed using water at a lower temperature, e.g., 45°C, in combination with a solution of lactic acid (9). The SCVPH concluded that the use of lower temperatures together with a lactic acid solution of 2 to 5% is as effective as the use of water at 82°C. The SCVPH also considered several other chemicals, including tri-sodium phosphate, polyphosphates, chlorine compounds and hydrogen peroxide. Taormina and Dorsa (29) investigated the effectiveness of sanitizers for cleaning artificially inoculated knives. An Cleaning in water at temperatures cooler than 82°C Midgley and Eustace (20) investigated the effect of sanitizing knives at tem- OCTOBER 2008 | FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS 717

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Food Protection Trends - October 2008 Contents Sustaining Members Perspectives from Your President Commentary from the Executive Director Employee Motivators for Following Food Safety Practices: Pivotal Role of Supervision Knife Sanitizing in Abattoirs: The Effectiveness of Current and Alternative Practices Call for Nominations – 2009 Secretary Call for Awards – IAFP 2009 New Members Updates Industry Products Coming Events Advertising Index Journal of Food Protection Table of Contents Audiovisual Library Order Form Booklet Order Form Membership Application

Food Protection Trends - October 2008

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